CRMJ 245 Introduction to Law
The course examines the history and principles of civil and criminal law and will prepare students for further study of the legal system. Students are introduced to judicial decisions, legal analysis and the case method of study. The course will integrate the analysis of case law, statutes and social science empirical research. It includes comprehensive coverage of three areas of law ?1. Substantive law, 2. Constitutional issues evoking tensions between governmental authority and individual liberties, and 3. Constitutional procedure, including the incorporation of Bill of Rights protections to the States and trial by jury. The course explores such topics as abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, freedom of expression, rights of intimate association, and equal protection issues. Students will read legal scholars and court researchers including classical and theoretical studies of the court system as well as more applied policy studies which include a focus on the American jury, judges and the courtroom workgroup. The course focuses on the role and purposes of the law, the sources of law, the various types of law, and the state and federal court system structure and operations. The course will also examine the responsibilities of legal system decision-makers, legislators, state representatives, victim advocates, and jurors, and issues like disparity and discrimination in the court system. Issues raised will include the element of wide discretion exercised by decision makers and the issues of race and gender.